1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the shaping of a generally flat material to produce a fold in one edge; more especially the invention is concerned with the shaping of sheet metal or the like into building panels.
2. Description of the prior Art
Panels made from aliminium or galvanized steel sheet material are widely employed in the building trade. Such panels, which are frequently painted, are employed to simulate wood panels.
Panels of this general type include siding panels and fascia panels.
Siding panels are disposed in a horizontal manner on the outside walls of frame buildings to form the exposed surface of the building and are typically nailed to vertical studs with or without intervening sheathing.
Fascia panels are employed under the eaves or cornice.
Such panels are usually made be feeding a strip of sheet material through a series of edge forming or shaping roller means. Each roller means comprises an upper roll and a lower roll which coact to engage the edge of the moving strip and impart a characteristic bend in the edge of the strip as part of the total shaping operation, so that when the strip has passed through all the roller means, the strip emerges with the desired fold along its edge.
The strip is fed from a coil horizontally through the roller means.
A machine of this general character is described in Canadian Pat. No. 983,366 of Gary A. Knudson. This machine is designed to form two operations, however, it can be employed solely to produce a shaped edge in an elongated strip, in which case the group A rollers described in the patent are employed alone, the group B rollers being disengaged.
Such a machine is employed at the site of the building on which the panels are being applied. The panelling is produced in a continual manner and cut, as it emerges from the machine, to the desired lengths to fit the building. Thus the machine is usually transported from site to site in a trailer and it is highly desirable to provide a compact portable machine that can be operated without special training or skill.
A particular problem with the machine described in the Canadian Patent resides in the mounting of the coil of sheet material for horizontal feeding through the shaping rollers.
In the embodiment described, and illustrated in FIG. 1, of the patent, the coil is mounted for rotation above the machine. This presents some problems since such a coil of aluminium may typically weigh about 380 to 400 lbs and a coil of galvanized steel weighs still more. In view of this it is necessary to employ a hoist to lift and mount the coil above the machine. If the coil is improperly placed or falls during mounting it may produce extensive and expensive damage to the machine parts below.
Although not shown in FIG. 1 of the aforementioned Canadian Patent, the commercial embodiment of the machine has a heavy upper supporting frame, extending the length of the machine, to support a hoist for lifting and mounting a coil above the machine. This considerably increases the size and cost of the machine, and necessitates a large trailer to house the machine.
The present invention has for an object the provision of a machine, which is both compact and portable, for forming a folded edge in an elongated strip of material; and especially for forming metal panels for buildings.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a machine in which the necessity of mounting a coil of the sheet material is avoided, as are the structure and equipment for lifting, mounting and supporting the coil above the machine.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide such a machine which enables the use of a simple turntable to mount a coil of the sheet material, for feeding into the machine.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel method of forming a folded edge in an elongated strip of material; and especially of forming metal building panels.